Parliament passed the Maldivian Democratic Party's (MDP) proposal for reconstituting standing committees after changes to the representation of political parties.
The political party composition changed after 13 MPs left the MDP and some independent MPs joined the party.
MPs needed to be reassigned to committees to reflect the changes. The MDP asked for a sitting to be held during recess after the delay in reconstituting committees impeded parliament from concluding important matters.
The first option for reconstituting committees was passed at the second sitting held out of session. It was the MDP's proposal.
MDP proposal:
- 64 percent for MDP
- 21 percent for independent MPs
- 6 percent for the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM)
- 3 percent for the People's National Congress (PNC)
- 3 percent for the Maldives National Party (MNP)
- 2 percent for the Jumhooree Party (JP)
- 2 percent for the Maldives Development Alliance (MDA)
While the MDP's proposal was passed at today's sitting, the party has 54 MPs in parliament. There are 18 independent MPs unaffiliated with any party. The opposition PPM has five MPs and the PNC has three MPs. The MNP has three MPs whilst the JP and MDA each have two MPs.
The reconstitution of committees was approved with 35 votes in favour. Some 14 MPs voted against the proposal.
Vilufushi MP Hassan Afeef, who was presiding over the sitting, asked parliamentary group leaders to send the committee assignments before 9 pm tonight.
The MDP proposal was passed after several proposals by the opposition were rejected. The defeated proposals mainly sought to reconstitute committees without an MDP majority as it was the main party in the governing coalition.
